Protecting-plate for the edges of concrete constructions.



T. H. KANE. 1 PROTECTING PLATE FOR THE EDGES 0P CONCRETE OONSTRUOTIONS.

' APPLICATION FILED JANJQ, 1914.

39 m Patented Sept.29,1914.

IN l/E/V TOR X WM wkowuxsvxKmww. flu gob/Mm} WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATEN T OFFICE. THOMAS HENRY KANE, OF YOI TNGSTOWN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T0 TRUS SEI) COTTCRETE STEEL COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN.

PROTECTING-PLATE FOR THE EDGES 0F CONCRETE CONSTRUCTIONS.

Specification of Iletters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1914..

Application filed January 19, 1914. Serial No. 812,879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS KANE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Protecting-Plate for the Edges of Concrete Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to plates or bars adapted to protect the edges of concrete roadways at each side of the expansionjoints therein, and its object is to provide a cheap and reliable expansion-joint protector which will prevent the forming of a groove or rut in the surface in, the concrete along the reinforcing plates.

This invention consists of a plate of any desired depth and thickness, whose length is preferably the width of the roadway and whose upper edge conforms to the curvature of the roadway, if any, which plate is provided with any desired means to secure it to the concrete of the roadway, and which is provided with an over-hanging ledge along its upper edge on the side toward the concreteto which it is attached.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective showing the improved reinforcing plate secured in position to the end of a section of roadway. Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are end views of plates adapted to be used for the purpose of reinforcing roadways. Fig. 5 is a perspective of a section of reinforcing plate after the connectors have been bent to operative position.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

Probably the best pavement, cost considered, so far evolved for roads and streets subjected to medium weight traffic, is a good grade of concrete. Breaks or cracks must arbitrarily be made across the roadway or else irregular, unsightly cracks will develop naturally, due to the fact that concrete contracts and expands from the action of both temperature and moisture. The pavement will either pull itself apart or else. must be provided with expansion joints placed at intervals so as to allow this constant movement without damage to the mass. The crack or joint thus formed is, unless properly protected, the weakest point of the roadway, and many devices have been suggested for the protection or armoring of the roadway along these joints. The usual crumbles continually, the groove becoming larger until quite a rut is formed. This results in the armoring plate being struck blows of considerable intensity until the plate finally becomes loosened. By preventing the first formation of this small groove, the damage may be entirely avoided.

I have found that by forming the protecting plates" with an over-hanging ledge so that no sharp corner will be formed on the concrete, the first chipping off is prevented and a smooth. even surface will always be had.

The exact cross section of the plates used for reinforcing the upper edges of the roadway along the expansion joints, and cspecially their widths and thicknesses, may 1 be varied, as well as the means provided for securing this plate to the concrete. I prefer the construction shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. In Fig. 5 ledge 52 having its lower face concave, and

a plate 1 has an over-hanging is provided with arms 3 having bifurcated ends constituting transverse members 4:, all of which are sheared out of'the bar, thus forming slots 5 through which the concrete of the roadway may extend and assist in holding the reinforcing bar in place. In Figs. 1 and 3 the plate 1 is shown with a reinforcing flange 7 along its lower edge which will assist in stiffening the plate against vertical distortion. Fig. 1 shows concrete 6 and a sheet 10 of some elastic material to fill the space between the ends of adjacent sections of roadway.

Instead of forming the reinforcing plate with an overhanging ledge 2, it may be formed as shown in Fig. 4 and be constituted by a body 8 and a laterally extending flange 9, the edge of the flange being beveled so as to avoid sharp corners on the concrete.

Insome localities the expansion and contraction of the roadway may be very small because of the slight changes of temperature. In such cases a single reinforcing plate, bent as shown in Fig. 2, may besecured to both of the adjoining ends of two sections of roadway. The space between the two sides 11 of the plate can then be filled with coal tar or asphalt. The overhanging ledges 12 will protect the two up,- per edges of the adjacent sections in the manner heretofore described.

It will be evident that many changes in the construction of the reinforcing plates can be .made to meet the various requirements of road building without departing from the spirit of my invention set forth in the claims. It will be evident that while these plates are primarly adapted for reinforcing the upper edges of roadways, that they are also adapted for reinforcing the corners of any other concrete constructions, such as curbs, sidewalks and steps.

I claim:

1. A reinforcing plate for the edge of a 3 bodyof concrete comprising a flat plate, means to secure. thisplate against the side of the-body of concrete with its outer face vertical, and an over-hanging ledge formed along the upper edge of the plate on the side next to the concrete to protect the edge of the concrete, the lower edge of said ledge being beveled so as to ensure an obtuse angle on the concrete, and the entire top of the plate being flush with the concrete .and forming a right angle with the outer face of the plate.

laminae 2. A reinforcing plate for the edges of expansion joints between sections of 0911". crete roadways, comprising a plate having a stiffening rib along its lower edge and a short over-hanging ledge along its upper edge on the side next to the concrete, said ledge having a fiat upper surface in the plane of the roadway and a beveled lower surface that, joins the flat upper surface along 'a sharp edge, and means for securing the reinforcing plate against the side of the body of concrete, the exterior of the plate being flat and vertical and forming a right angle with the upper surface of the ledge.

3. A reinforcing plate for the ed es of expansion joints between. sections 0 con crete roadways, comprising a vertical plate having a flat body portion .Witha fiat outer side and a short over-hanging ledge formed along its upper edge on the side next to the concrete, said ledge having a flat upper surface in the plane of the roadway forming a right angle with the outside of the plate,

and an inclinedlower surface merging with the flat upper surface at an acute angle, and means for securing the reinforcing plate against the side of the body of the concrete.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS HENRY KANE.

Witnesses:

H. B. FOLSOM, I H. PADDON. 

